Kiss me in the dark
by navitor3
Summary: Gently, he pushed her hair over one shoulder. Nami leant forward a little, hands on the railing, to better feel the comforting warmth of his hands spreading over her, which is all she had wanted. A ZoNa moment at the end of that day spent on the island of Nepulandia.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing of One Piece.**

 **A/N: Hi, everyone. This little piece somehow got written after I saw the special last month, but I decided to wait and rather put it up today, though I don't think it's romantic enough. Sorry that there's still nothing coming from my side with other stories. The block is still there, unfortunately. This one-shot is purely Nami-centric and set after the dinner at the end of the special. Happy Valentine's day!**

O

"Zoro."

The swordsman stopped outside the doorway of the galley, causing yawning Luffy, walking out after him, to crash into his unflinching back. "Huh?" He wondered what Nami was about to yell about, addressing him in that stern tone. Dinner had been pleasant with the crew continuing their celebration after the menacing mushroom, resting in Zoro's haramaki, had been exposed by Nami, and successfully disposed of.

The captain stepped around Zoro with barely open eyes. "Night everyone," he said as if the whole crew were outside and not just the three of them. Without much vigour, Luffy stretched an arm across the lawn to open the door to the men's-quarters, though, at the pace he was descending that stairs, it would take him a while to actually get there.

"Get some rest, Luffy," said Zoro.

"Yeaaahhh. Goodnight… uhhh..."

"Zoro," said the swordsman.

"Right. Zorooo." Luffy continued on his way.

On the edge of the balcony, she waited as Zoro approached. "My back hurts," said Nami.

He stopped a few feet away from her and quirked a brow. "So go rest."

She pointed an accusing finger at the swords on his waist. "I had no idea those were so heavy."

He grunted, looking down at the three culprits with understanding. "Naturally, carrying all of them, at the same time, would be heavy, for you."

"Didn't stop me from taking care of them after you three idiots had done the manly thing by eating those poisoned mushrooms." She turned and went to the railing next to the galley.

Not surprised that she would bring that up, "How were we supposed to know it would end up like _that_?" said stubborn Zoro.

"It pays to be cautious." Nami huffed and placed her hands on the railing. "Rub my shoulders."

Zoro blinked and came closer. "How did they end up with you?"

"Brook gave them to Franky. When he and Usopp had to go, Franky gave them to me." Nami waited, tensing slightly when he came up behind her and his large hands covered her shoulders. Not out of fear, but anticipation. "Softly," she said, rather softly. "But not too soft." And she relaxed into his touch.

"You mentioned your back. How much is sore?" Zoro asked.

"All of it," said Nami with an accidental shrug that Zoro saw right through. She had some general scrapes and aches and exhaustion, yes, like the rest of the crew, that had become more obvious through dinner, and had sent almost everyone off to bed early, but nothing really serious.

Gently, he pushed her hair over one shoulder. Nami leant forward a little, hands on the railing, to better feel the comforting warmth of his hands spreading over her, which is all she had wanted. She almost sighed, lifting her chin in near ecstasy as he brushed his palms over her waist. Zoro nuzzled his nose in her hair, his good eyelid falling closed…

"MARIMO!"

In the blink of an eye, his eye was open and his hands back on her shoulders. "Huh? What is it, Cook?" Zoro asked lazily.

Coming from washing dishes, Sanji hurried over to where the two stood, oddly on the dark part of the balcony, away from the light streaming from the galley doorway. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Get your hands off Nami-san!" he said.

"Sanji-kun, it's okay," said Nami over her shoulder.

"I can do that, Nami-san, you don't need the marimo." With the force of one shoulder, he tried to shove Zoro away, but the swordsman pushed back, and growling ensued behind Nami.

"Yes, yes, and you will, tomorrow, with my weekly massage," she said hastily, followed by some stumbling. "Zoro owes me for… putting me through… the torture of carrying his swords after eating those stupid mushrooms!"

"Oh, yes, only a shitty swordsman would leave behind his swords, wouldn't he, Marimo?" said the cook, teeth grinding his cigarette as Zoro's thumbs reached Nami's shoulder blades.

"Nothing as bad as a desperate pervert, running after a bunch of dudes in dresses. You started it all, Nosebleed, don't forget," said Zoro calmly.

"I REALISED MY MISTAKE WHEN I COULD TELL, THEY WEREN'T WHAT THEY SEEMED! I APOLOGISED!"

"Yeah, too late."

"Cut it out, both of you!" Nami was so ready to inflict some pain, white knuckled hands clenching the railing. "You two caused enough trouble for today!" And that was enough to quiet them both. "Zoro, focus, she said. "Sanji-kun, please run my bath."

"Hai, Nami-san, the only reason I actually came out here was to tell you that I am taking care of it for you!" said the swooning cook.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun."

With a final glare, a warning about any inappropriate touching, and muttering under his breath that the moss-head's punishment wasn't actually punishment, and that he was actually a lucky bastard, who didn't know how lucky he was, Sanji returned to the galley.

Nami sighed, which had Zoro frowning.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong, is there?" he asked. The shocking happenings of the day had caused its fair share of emotional and physical strain for all of them. And he had witnessed her most desperate efforts.

Nami shook her head. "It's just been a long day. "They heard the door across the lawn finally close behind their captain. She looked that way, her saving their captain from a watery grave without a second thought to her own safety, on her mind.

"You did good," said Zoro.

She nodded faintly and felt Zoro start to slowly rub her shoulders, and then her back. The comfortable silence between them, under the glittering stars in the sky, was interrupted with only a few words about their horrible experience. When done, Zoro's hands came to rest on her waist. Nami felt his body press flush against hers, from behind. She leant in to his welcoming strength. His warm lips touched her cheek, and Zoro kissed her there.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"You know," he said over her ear. They had begun to express physical affection in recent weeks. Some of it, involved kissing, and some, playful touches as they explored an attraction, they had denied for years. Always in secret and away from the crew. Nami turned to face him, keeping the contact between their bodies.

"You feel better?" he asked.

"Hm." The navigator kept her tone as neutral as possible. "What about you, after those mushrooms?"

"Hundred percent," said Zoro.

Nami didn't know whether to believe him, but accepted his response. She kept her eyes diverted from his face and on his throat as she spoke. "I didn't particularly enjoy the part where I had to wait and see if Chopper's cure would heal you."

He grunted. "It did, and I'm fine. You don't have to worry –"

"I'm not worried," she quickly said, looking up at him, something they both knew was not true at all, but she would not ask for reassurance.

With their present position and the dark, Zoro slipped a finger beneath her chin and lowered his lips to hers. They came together in a rushed but impassioned kiss that spoke volumes about the feelings between them, and how close they were to taking things further. A fervent promise of things to come soon. "Go take your bath, woman," he said over her lips and released her. He pulled away, to have a nap before he'd be up again, keeping watch into the early hours of the morning.

"Stupid pirates," said Nami with a sigh, leaning against the railing. "And I think… I've fallen in love with one of them." She shook her head even as she anticipated their next secret meeting, and wondered how long it would be before a new crisis would befall the crew because of rash decisions, codes of honour, or egos.

Sanji's head popped out of the window, up in the bathhouse. "Nami-san! Your bath is ready, my sweet!"

Nami pushed her tired body from the railing and smiled a little smile. "Thank you, Sanji-kun! I really need that bath!"

"ANYTHING FOR YOU, NAMI-SWAAAN!"

The End.

O


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